Admission to Albion

Application for First-Year Admission

Admission to Albion College is selective and based on a review of the applicant's academic credentials, personal qualifications, and potential for success at the College. Albion admits students without regard to race, ethnicity, creed or national origin.

The Admission Committee reviews applications on an individual basis, paying particular attention to the unique qualities each candidate possesses. The committee considers the following factors in evaluating an applicant's credentials: rigor of curriculum pursued, grades, co-curricular involvement in high school, community and religious activities, letters of recommendation received, and results of the ACT or SAT college admission tests.

Candidates for admission are expected to graduate from an accredited high school or preparatory school and have at least 15 units of academic credit in the following subjects: English, mathematics, social science, science and foreign language. Albion College also welcomes students who have been home schooled or who have earned a General Education Diploma (GED). In both cases, students should contact the director of admission to develop a process to review non-traditional academic experiences and competencies.

Students may submit an application for admission at any time. Normally, however, students apply after October of their senior year in high school. In order to receive equal consideration for admission and financial aid, students should apply and have all required credentials on file by February 1 of their senior year.

Students who submit an online application are not charged a fee. Albion only accepts the Common Application.

Applicants seeking fall admission must pay a $350 enrollment deposit to the College postmarked no later than May 1 to secure their place in the fall class.

Applicants seeking spring admission should submit their $350 deposit before January 10.

Early Action

Albion welcomes students to apply early to secure a place in the fall class, and to ensure full consideration for academic and special talent scholarships. Students who apply by November 1 or December 1 will be notified of an admission decision by January 15. The early action process is non-binding. All students who apply after December 1 will be considered on a rolling basis, and will be notified of an admission decision beginning February 1 until the class is filled.

Entrance Tests

Standardized entrance tests (ACT or SAT) are required. High school students should sit for the ACT or SAT exam no later than February of their senior year. Albion College's code number is 1007 for the SAT and 1956 for the ACT. Information about the SAT may be obtained from the College Board at www.collegeboard.org. Information about the ACT may be obtained at www.act.org.

Campus Visit

A visit to the campus and a personal interview are highly recommended. As a service to campus visitors, guided tours of the campus are provided. The admission staff will also arrange visits with faculty members or with specific academic departments.

The Admission Office is open on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. It is also open on select Saturdays during the academic year.

Specific information pertaining to the curriculum, the faculty or admission to Albion College may be obtained from:

Advanced Placement and CLEP

Albion College is a participant in the Advanced Placement Program of the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB). Under this program, a high school student who earns a grade of 4 or 5 on an Advanced Placement Examination automatically receives college credit and may receive advanced placement in the area of his or her proficiency.

Some College departments also participate in the College-Level Subject Examination Program (CLEP) of CEEB. Albion College permits students to obtain a maximum of eight units of credit toward the bachelor of arts, and to fulfill core and/or major requirements through CLEP. Students should contact the Registrar's Office for information on which departments accept CLEP credit.

Maximum Credit Available Through Examination—No more than eight units of credit can be obtained through any combination of locally designed departmental examinations and the College-Level Examination Program. No more than 12 units of credit can be obtained through any combination of the Advanced Placement Examination, locally designed departmental examinations, and the College-Level Examination Program.

Immediate Sophomore Standing—An entering student who presents six or more units obtained through the Advanced Placement Examination, locally designed departmental examinations, and/or the College-Level Examination Program will obtain immediate sophomore standing.

Special Admissions

Transfer Students

Each year Albion accepts students who have attended other colleges or universities. It is recommended that candidates possess at least a 3.0 grade point average for consideration. It is expected that the applicant will be in good academic and social standing at the college last attended and that the previous college record has been strong enough to compare favorably with students already in attendance at Albion. Students are responsible for submitting, with their application, official transcripts from all institutions previously attended, along with an academic and social status supplement completed by the appropriate official from each institution previously attended.

Students with an official transcript marked "MACRAO approved" for an associate of arts (A.A.) degree from a Michigan community or junior college are exempt from taking the First-Year Seminar and the Modes of Inquiry requirement, and they may be admitted at the junior level. However, the following graduation requirements must be met: the category requirements and the writing competence requirement. A maximum of 16 units (64 semester hours) may be transferred from accredited junior colleges.

Candidates who transfer from an accredited four-year college must complete no less than the last 12 units (48 semester hours) in residence at Albion. These students must also complete all degree requirements including the category requirements and the writing competence requirement.

For more specific details regarding Albion's unit system and required course grades, refer to the Academic Regulations section of this catalog.

International Students

To be considered for admission to Albion, an international student must complete the admission procedures including the following:

Original or certified copies of all academic records, secondary school transcripts, and college/university transcripts, translated into English and listing individual courses including types, number, and grades received. A minimum of at least three years of records will be required for students applying from four-year secondary institutions and a minimum of two years for students applying from three-year secondary institutions. In most cases, transfer students from colleges/universities outside the United States seeking admission to Albion College will require an external evaluation by World Education Services (WES) and Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) for transfer of college credits. Collegiate credits can be transferred at any time after the semester ends but will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis by the Albion College registrar.

Official scores of TOEFL, IELTS, ACT, SAT or ELS course 112 completion sent directly to Albion College from educational testing services. Albion College will also allow certified copies stamped by a school counselor or administrator.

Two letters of reference from the guidance counselor or headmaster, English teacher (or teacher of choice for English-speaking nations) or a community member from a club or service organization with which the student is affiliated.

To ensure enough time to obtain a student visa, we advise students to complete the application package and send it to Albion College by February 1 for fall admission, October 1 for spring admission, or December 1 for early action. Late applications will be reviewed if space allows. Once Albion College has received the application materials, an admission decision is made within four weeks.

Financial Aid—International students should consider an Albion education an investment the student, family and sponsors are willing to make. Few colleges and universities in the United States provide financial support to international students. International students often receive scholarships to Albion College, although our policies limit the maximum award for international students to 50 percent of the total cost of attendance.

Students who demonstrate the highest academic potential and bring significant co-curricular interests to our campus will receive the greatest consideration for these awards. In awarding scholarships, Albion College also considers an applicant's financial need upon review of the application, as well as other requirements.

Notification of a scholarship is made at the time of admission, and will be noted in the acceptance letter.

For further information about international student admission requirements, please contact:

International Baccalaureate—The College recognizes the strength and rigor of the International Baccalaureate Program. Students will receive one unit (four semester hours) of credit for IB courses/tests taken at the highest level with a score of 5 or more.

Other Candidates

Veterans—Veterans returning from military service and other eligible military personnel are admitted to Albion College under the training provisions established by the Veterans Administration. The College may allow credit for military service activities which have educational content to students who present acceptable military records. Such credentials should be submitted as part of the admission materials. Details about veteran's benefits under the Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2008 are available online.

ConApp—Albion College is a participating college in the United States Army Concurrent Application Program (ConApp) and welcomes applications from prospective students who wish to continue their education after active duty military service. Interested students should contact the Albion College Admissions Office or their Army recruiter for information on the ConApp program and related veteran's benefits for higher education. Albion guarantees admission to qualified ConApp applicants after military service.

Auditors—A non-degree student may enroll as an official auditor. This obligates a student to attend classes and complete course requirements (papers, laboratory assignments, tests, and a final examination). The course appears on the transcript and the grade is posted, but no degree credit is earned.

Guest Students—To be admitted as a guest student at Albion College students must complete the Michigan Undergraduate Guest Application. All guest students must be in good academic standing at their home institution. Guest students assume responsibility for determining whether the course they take at Albion will apply to their program of study.

Financial Aid

Albion College offers need-based financial aid in the form of grants, scholarships, loans and student employment. Sources of funds include Albion College scholarships, grants and work; private sources; and State of Michigan and federal grant, loan and work programs administered by the College. To apply for need-based financial aid, students must complete the Free Applicationfor Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA may be completed online at www.fafsa.gov. The Albion College Financial Aid Office will develop a financial aid package based on the FAFSA information. The package may include a combination of grants, scholarships, loans and work. Students have the option of accepting all or part of the aid awarded. Albion College also offers a number of academic scholarships to incoming students. Students who qualify for an academic scholarship receive notification from the Admission Office.

While we do everything we can to assist students with financial need, it is important to remember that, at Albion, we believe the primary responsibility for financing your education lies with you and your family. In awarding need-based aid, the College requires that each student and his/her parent(s) contribute funds toward the cost of the education.

Information about loans, scholarships and work opportunities may be secured by contacting Albion's Financial Aid Office. Entering first-year students applying for financial aid are urged to make their requests by filing the FAFSA by February 15 of their senior year. The deadline for the State of Michigan scholarship/grant program is March 1. For maximum consideration, Albion academic scholarship applications must be received by February 15.

Need-Based Aid Renewal

You must reapply annually for need-based financial aid. Based on available funding, aid usually continues at the same level each year, unless there is a change in your financial situation.

The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended by Congress in 1980 and reauthorized in 1992, mandates that institutions of higher education maintain minimum standards of "satisfactory progress" in order for students to receive financial aid. Albion College makes these standards applicable to all need-based institutional awards, Federal Pell Grants, federal campus-based programs, Federal Direct Loans, Federal PLUS Loans and State of Michigan awards in order to maintain a consistent policy for all students receiving assistance. To satisfy satisfactory progress requirements, a student must maintain a minimum G.P.A. each semester, complete a required number of units each year and complete degree requirements within a determined number of semesters. An Albion College student is eligible for the equivalent of eight full-time semesters of financial aid. Students enrolled in the teacher certification program or the Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) program may be required to attend one additional semester. These students will be given nine semesters of aid in which to receive their degree/certificates. Students who do not complete their degree in eight semesters (or nine for teacher certification or B.F.A.) may not be eligible for additional financial aid.

A full-time student is one who is enrolled for at least 3.0 units each semester. A half-time student is one who is enrolled for at least 1.5 units per semester. Students carrying fewer than 1.5 units will be considered a quarter-time student. Semesters in which the student is enrolled exclusively for a one-unit internship, or summer semesters in which the student is enrolled for one unit, do not count toward the maximum semester limitation as indicated above. Other part-time semesters will be equated to full-time semesters. Students planning to enroll part-time should notify the Financial Aid Office.

All full-time semesters for which the student is enrolled in the College are counted in the eight-semester limitation (nine semesters for teacher certification or B.F.A.) even if no financial aid was received. Semesters in which the student enrolled and attended any classes will count in semesters attended, including semesters in which a student withdraws or takes a leave of absence.

Grade point average (G.P.A.) and units completed are reviewed for satisfactory academic progress at the end of the spring semester. Students must maintain the following cumulative average and units completed:

1.00 with a minimum of 3 units completed at the end of the first semester at Albion College;

1.62 with at minimum of 6 units completed at the end of the second semester at Albion;

1.75 with a minimum of 9 units completed at the end of the third semester at Albion;

1.81 with a minimum of 13 units completed at the end of the fourth semester at Albion;

1.90 with a minimum of 17 units completed at the end of the fifth semester at Albion;

2.00 with a minimum of 21 units completed at the end of the sixth semester at Albion;

2.00 with a minimum of 25 units completed at the end of the seventh semester at Albion;

In addition, regardless of the cumulative grade point average, a student who fails to obtain a minimum 2.0 G.P.A. for three consecutive semesters is not considered to be making satisfactory academic progress for aid renewal.

Transfer Students--Class standing of transfer students will be considered according to units transferred in. For example, a student who is deemed to have first-semester sophomore class standing upon entrance will be eligible for six semesters of Albion College financial aid.

Notification--The Financial Aid Office will notify any student qualifying for financial assistance who does not meet minimum satisfactory progress and is being terminated from aid. Following the spring semester, notices will be sent electronically to the student's Albion e-mail account and any other e-mail on record with the registrar, and such notices will be considered delivered.

Regaining Eligibility--A student who has insufficient units to qualify for aid may be considered eligible for aid only when enough units, including incomplete courses, have been completed to make up the unit shortage. Unit credit may be transferred in, but G.P.A. will be affected only by courses taken at Albion College. The academic year will be considered to commence with the first day of classes of the fall semester and continue to the first day of classes the following fall, thus allowing the possibility of reinstatement of aid eligibility over the summer term. If a student had mitigating circumstances that prohibited him/her from meeting the standards, the student may submit an appeal. Appeals must be made in writing to the Financial Aid Office, and they will be reviewed by the Appeals Committee prior to the start of the semester in which reinstatement of financial aid eligibility is requested. Examples of mitigating circumstances include: illness, change of major, unexpected hardships and death in the immediate family.

Academic Withdrawal--See the Academic Regulations section of this catalog for academic status and withdrawal information.

Albion College Academic Scholarship Renewal

Academic scholarships are renewable annually provided students maintain the required yearly grade-point average and are in good personal standing with the College.

Scholarship recipients are expected to maintain superior academic performance while at Albion College. To renew a Distinguished Albion Scholar award, a Trustee Scholarship or a Presidential Scholarship, a student must maintain an annual grade point average of 3.00. To renew a Webster Scholarship or a Briton Award, a student must maintain an annual grade point average of 2.50. Recipients of a Heritage Award must meet the minimum satisfactory academic progress standards outlined above.

Grade point averages and units earned are reviewed at the end of the academic year by the Financial Aid Office. A student's first year of college is often the most challenging. Therefore, students are encouraged to seek the advice of their faculty adviser while making decisions regarding their class schedule. Eligibility to retain an academic award will require the annual G.P.A. or a written plan of action from the faculty adviser regarding the issues surrounding a student's G.P.A.

Student Employment

Campus employment is available to help students meet expenses. The Federal Work-Study program is available for students who show financial need, based on analysis of the FAFSA. In addition to on-campus Work-Study positions, there are positions available off-campus in the community of Albion that are funded through the Federal Work-Study program. Students who are not eligible for the Federal Work-Study program may receive an Albion work award. Earnings from student employment are paid directly to the student by payroll check each month; the amount earned is not credited to the student's account.

The Student Employment Office has a listing of on- and off-campus jobs that are available for everyone (Work-Study and non-Work-Study students). Jobs are also listed online at www.albion.edu/studentemployment. This listing includes job description, qualifications needed and rate of pay.

International Scholarships and Fellowships

Information on prestigious national and international scholarships and fellowships is in the Academic Programs section under Academic Honors and Awards.

About Albion

The Albion Advantage. It's the liberal arts. It's career readiness. It's providing you the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need to succeed in college, in your career, and in your life.